Reliving 1998

The Brave Warriors and Bafana Bafana share a rivalry that will be reignited when two teams meet tonight at 22:00 in Egypt.
Jesse Kauraisa
Brave Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti has ruled out any similar scoreline to Afcon 1998, when the two nations clash tonight in a do-or-die fixture at the latest edition of the tournament in Egypt.

With memories of a 1-4 defeat at the hands of South Africa in the 1998 still lingering, many are still haunted by the embarrassing defeat.

On 16 February 1998, South African teenager Benny McCarthy broke Namibian hearts by scoring four goals in the first half of the match to give his team a crushing victory in Burkina Faso.

The two teams have been pitted against each other 21 years later in the same competition and both need a victory to keep their chances alive in Group D, which also features African giants Morocco and Ivory Coast.

The Brave Warriors are mentored by a man who played in 1998 and who knows exactly how it feels to lose to South Africa at Afcon.

Mannetti is aware that it will be his responsibility to ensure that there is no repeat of that horror match.

The coach knows that a second defeat for the Warriors at Afcon 2019 will not only rub salt in their 1998 wounds, but will also leave them all but eliminated from the tournament. They still have to face Ivory Coast, after losing via an own-goal to Morocco in their opening match.

“As coaches that have been here at Afcon as players, we know how difficult it is and we will share our experiences with the boys ahead of a match carrying such significance.

“We want the players to have a touch of arrogance, but not too much, when we play against South Africa,” Mannetti said.

“The players have to know that they deserve to be here and are capable of changing things around.”

Mannetti is confident that his players will do better than the class of 1998 in Burkina Faso.

The coach said he has shared his experiences of 1998 and the players are fired up.

“It is emotional and sentimental for me as a coach and we are really positive to do better than what we done against Morocco.

“A Bafana match is one of those games where everyone wants bragging rights, because most of them play against each other domestically,” Mannetti said.

The coach also revealed that Willy Stephanus, who has been struggling with an injury, is getting better.

“The other players are all fit and raring to go, but Stephanus will definitely start on the bench and we will see how we can use him,” he said.

Many Namibian fans hope they will not have to go through what happened 21 years ago.

“I remember switching off my TV at halftime because I was so heartbroken by what I have just witnessed.

“It is a wound that will never heal, unless we beat South Africa in this competition for the very first time in Afcon history.

“Yes, I hope that Riccardo Mannetti will help the team deliver that vengeful victory to our rivals,” said Joe Kandji, an avid Warriors supporter.

Mike Goodman, who was 23 when South Africa humbled Namibia in 1998, is adamant that his nation has a stronger side this time around.

“It was one of the matches I will never forget, because I cried my heart out. I am, however, confident that this current crop of players will do much better against South Africa.

“The only thing I am hoping for is for Ricardo Mannetti's team to attack from the first minute,” Goodman said.

Morocco lead Group A with three points, followed by Ivory Coast, also on three points, with Namibia and South Africa in third and fourth respectively.

Ivory Coast defeated South Africa 1-0 in their opening group match.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa

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Namibian Sun 2024-03-28

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